Free The Party Season by Sarah Mason

remember it – he used to favour a Hugh Grant floppy style – but there's still plenty of it. He's dressed in faded corduroys, an open-necked checked shirt, a jumper and a tweed jacket which is patched at the elbows, seemingly oblivious to the weather outside. The sun streams in the large bay window at the back of the room, highlighting a little dust storm dancing above an antique desk.
    'I was sorry to hear about Elizabeth,' I say gently.
    'Bad business.' He shakes his head slowly and looks sad. 'It's a few years ago now. Time is a great healer.'
    He takes me by the elbow and we walk towards the middle of the room.
    'Could we have some coffee, Mrs Delaney?' he asks over his shoulder. 'Would coffee be okay for you, Izzy? Or would you prefer tea?'
    'No, coffee would be lovely,' I say and smile at Mrs Delaney who melts away, shutting the door behind her. Whenever we are doing functions which involve non-company staff, either directly or indirectly, we go to enormous lengths to try to keep them on side. It's less trouble in the long run. I'm not sure how I'm going to pull this off with Mrs Delaney.
    Monty plonks me down in a squishy Colefax armchair in front of the un-lit but ready-laid fire and then takes up his recently vacated seat opposite me. The library is a beautiful but relatively small room of oak panels and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. I take a few minutes to pat the elderly Labrador lying at the foot of Monty's chair. The dog apologises for not getting up with a loud thump-thump of his tail.
    'You won't remember old Jasper. I leave the other dogs in the kitchen so he can have a bit of peace and quiet. Doesn't like too much fuss nowadays. Golly! He wouldn't even have been born when you left here! Can it really have been that long, Izzy?'
    'It's been a while,' I smile.
    'Does the old place bring back memories?'
    'Lots!' I say brightly, thinking that he would be horrified to learn that some of them involve his bullying son.
    'So tell me about everything you've done since you left here! How are your parents? How's Sophie?' His eyes twinkle at me.
    I embark on a halting rendition of everyone's health until Mrs Delaney interrupts us with coffee. She brings in a tray holding a large cafetière, mis-matched china cups, a large jug of milk and a plate of oaty biscuits. She doesn't make eye contact with either of us but plonks the tray on the small coffee table and makes her exit.
    'Thank you, Mrs Delaney,' calls Monty to her departing back.
    'Thank you!' I echo.
    He shifts forward to the edge of his chair, surveys the tray and rubs his hands together. 'Biscuits! She's in one of her good moods!' he announces. Really. One of her good moods. God help us all. 'But no sugar,' he frowns.
    'Oh, I don't take it,' I interject.
    'Good!' He looks relieved. I wouldn't have fancied my chances if I had. It's obvious neither of us would have had the courage to ask for any.
    We chat about my family some more until I tentatively ask how Will is.
    'Will? He works here on the estate now.'
    'Does he?' I say in surprise. I always thought he would do something wildly exciting. He was the thrill-seeker out of all of us.
    'Yes, he's our new estate manager! Got back from travelling a year ago!'
    'I expected Will to become an astronaut or a deep sea diver or something!'
    'He used to be a bit wild but he's settled down now. Besides, we desperately needed an estate manager. Simon, as you probably know, has been a bit busy with his various companies to worry about Pantiles.'
    'Yes, I, er, have read a bit about him.' I glance down at my coffee cup in embarrassment.
    'He's not as bad as they say, Izzy,' Monty says softly. 'The press can get things wrong.'
    But I've had first-hand experience of him, I want to cry. And I daresay many a mass murderer has an indignant parent sticking up for them.
    'He's done awfully well,' I mumble instead. 'So where did Will go travelling?' I add, pretty keen to get off the subject of Simon.
    'All over the world! Let's see,